TRANSLOCATION OF FRESHWATER MUSSELS (BIVALVIA: …

TRANSLOCATION OF FRESHWATER MUSSELS (BIVALVIA: UNIOINIDAE) FROM THE FORMER PLAINWELL IMPOUNDMENT AREA ON THE

KALAMAZOO RIVER, MICHIGAN

Report to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,

Region 3,

East Lansing Field Office

East Lansing, Michigan

Prepared by

Mehne and Associates, Inc.

Kalamazoo, Michigan

March 19, 2010

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND

In 2008, a Time Critical Removal Action (TCRA) was conducted to remove Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the Kalamazoo River within the former impoundment area of the Plainwell dam. As part of the removal action the flow of the river was diverted from the spillway channel to the former power house channel. This diversion made the river free‐flowing in its historical channel, and stopped flows over the remaining concrete spillway structure of the former Plainwell dam (Figures 1, 2, 3).

In 2000 and 2001, a mussel bed approximately 200 feet downstream from the concrete structure of the former Plainwell dam was found on the spillway channel side (Mulcrone and Mehne, 2001). A majority of the mussel community was composed of muckets, Actinonaias ligamentina. This population as well as the white heelsplitter, Lasmigona complanata, were considered to be reproducing since individuals less than 3 years old were present. Actinonaias ligamentina and L. complanata are usually found in larger rivers, and A. ligamentina usually requires a gravelly habitat with flowing water (Parmalee, 1967; van der Schalie, 1938; Watters et al, 2009). Lasmigona complanata can be found in more sluggish waters. Because the river flow immediately downstream from the former spillway of the Plainwell dam was halted when TCRA work was complete, the area began to silt in and was no longer suitable for riverine mussels.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) and U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) decided to relocate the mussels to a more suitable habitat. This report records the relocation activities from June 18 to September 11, 2009, for the mussel bed below the former Plainwell dam.

METHODS

Five visits (June 18, June 25, July 17, August 21 and September 11) were made below the former Plainwell dam to search for and translocate mussels upstream. Mussels were removed from the area by snorkeling, searching by hand or using nets to scoop the substrate (where areas were too deep or too silty to dig) (Figure 4). Time spent on searching per person hour was noted to evaluate the catch per unit effort.

Mussels were placed in mesh bags and kept in water until identified and counted. Mussels were marked with an “x” using a small, battery operated drill to distinguish translocated mussels from resident mussels upstream in future follow‐up surveys. Bags with mussels were kept within the river until time of transportation, where they were placed in containers and kept wet (Figure 5). Time of transport from downstream to upstream site was less than 15 minutes. Mussels were placed in the river at the translocation site anterior side down.

Mussels were placed approximately 1 mile upstream, about 100 to 500 feet downstream of the U.S. 131 bridge (Figures 6 and 7). This particular area was picked for translocation because 1) the hydrology is considered to be stable following TCRA work since it is at the upstream limit of the influence of the former Plainwell dam (pers comm. MDNRE, ARCADIS Engineering) and 2) live mussels of the same species composition were found in the area. Previous studies (Mulcrone and Mehne, 2001) found

reproducing populations in this area (Figure 8). The stretch of river downstream of the selected translocation site was not suitable because the TCRA project and dam removal decreased the stability of sediments. Sediment erosion is expected to occur at the formerly impounded section as the river adjusts to a free‐flowing state. Gravelly areas below the former impoundment structure were not selected for translocation because they did not have live mussels.

GPS readings were taken at translocation sites at both the collection area and the translocation areas (Figure 1).

During the first visit, approximately 280 mussels lengths were measured and growth rings were counted for aging. Ages and measurements were used to give a demographic overview of the population and to note recruitment. Rings are assumed to be annual markers of growth, however, this aging method is fairly crude and growth rings on some species are particularly difficult to distinguish. On subsequent visits, ages were not estimated although mussels four years or younger were noted.

Collections included live and dead mussels so that mortality rates could be determined. Mussel shells are often found within beds as a result of natural mortality. Mussels were classified as “fresh dead”, when tissue remained within the mussel shell (Figures 9 and 10) or “recent dead” when no tissue remained, but the pearly nacre was still present and shiny. These shells were removed from the area where mussels were being retrieved so they would not be re‐counted in subsequent removals. Other shells of different species that were not fresh or recently dead were noted.

Shells were collected for deposition into the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology’s Mollusk Division collection.

RESULTS

A total of 1554 mussels were removed from the area below the former Plainwell dam and translocated upstream (Table 1). Seven species were moved, with the mucket, Actinonaias ligamentina making up 87% of the total. The white heelsplitter, Lasmigona complanata, was 10% of the fauna and the pocketbook, Lampsilis cardium, approximately 2.8%. The rest of the species (cylindrical paper shell, Anodontoides ferruscianus, fat mucket, Lampsilis siliquoidea, fluted shell, Lasmigona costata, and creeper, Strophitus undulatus) were each less than 1% of the total.

Fourty‐seven person hours were spent searching for the mussels, ranging from 15 (first visit) to 5 (last visit) person‐hours (Table 2). Catch per unit effort declined from 40 to 11 mussels per hour searching from June 15 to July 25. The rates increased slightly over the next two visits (August 21 and September 11). The increase was likely due to lower water levels (Figure 11) that made collection easier.

Mussel mortality was recorded on the first (June 18) and last (September 11) visits. Fifty‐three mussels were recorded as fresh dead and 71 mussels were recent dead on June 18 (Table 3; Figures 12 and 13). The fresh and recent dead mussels together made up 13.8% of the population removed from the substrate. Total fresh dead collected the first day on the last day made up 6.8% percent of the mussels

retrieved. A majority of the fresh dead mussels were A. ligamentina. No live A. marginata or L. siliquoidea were found in the collection area, however one of each of these species was found dead with tissue present.

Fewer mussels were collected on September 11 than June 18, but approximately 7.7% of the mussels collected were fresh dead. On September 11, the fresh and recent dead mussels together made up 34.4% of the population removed from the substrate as opposed to 13.89% on June 18. Again, the majority of fresh dead mussels were A. ligamentina.

Age was plotted against length to get a rough demographic estimate of the age classes present for the two most common species, A. ligamentina and L. complanata (Tables 4 and 5). Ages and numbers are presented as natural breaks interpreted by Mehne and Associates. The estimated average age of A. ligamentina was 7.8 years and ranged from four to 11 years. The estimated average age of L. complanata was 6.4 years, ranging from two to 10 years. Ages of Lampsilis cardium were noted from 4 to 10 years.

Figure 1. Map showing the collection and translocation areas

0 0.25 0.5 Miles

Table 1. Live mussels translocated from below the former Plainwell Dam Number of mussels per date Species 6/18/2009 6/25/2009 7/17/2009 8/21/2009 9/11/2009 Total Mucket, Actinonaias ligamentina 684 417 71 82 89 1343 Cylindrical papershell, Anodontoides ferruscianus 0 1 0 0 1 2 Pocketbook, Lampsilis cardium 24 12 2 3 3 44 Fat mucket, Lampsilis siliquoidea 0 1 0 0 0 1 White heelsplitter, Lasmigona complanata 65 48 15 14 14 156 Fluted shell, Lasmigona costata 2 2 1 2 0 7 Creeper, Strophitus undulates 0 0 0 0 1 1

Total 775 481 89 101 108 1554

Table 2. Catch per unit effort of collection

Date

Person hours

searched

No. mussels collected

Mussels collected per hour searched

June 18 15 776 52 June 25 12 481 40 July 17 8 89 11 August 21 7 101 14 September 11 5 108 21

Total 47 1554 33

Table 3. Fresh and recent dead mussels found below the former Plainwell Dam June 18 September 11

Species Fresh dead

Recent dead

TOTAL DEAD

TOTAL LIVE AND DEAD

MUSSELS

Per cent fresh dead

Per cent total dead

Fresh dead

Recent dead

TOTAL DEAD

TOTAL LIVE AND DEAD

MUSSELS

Per cent fresh dead

Per cent total dead

Mucket, Actinonaias ligamentina 48 64 112 796 6.6 14.1 8 109 117 206 8.2 57

Elktoe, Alasmidonta marginata* 1 1 2 2 100 100 0 0 0 0 0 0

Pocketbook, Lampsilis cardium 2 2 4 28 7.7 14.3 0 7 7 31 0 23 Fat mucket, Lampsilis siliquoidea** 1 1 2 2 100 100 0 0 0 0 0 0 White heelsplitter,

Lasmigona complanata 0 2 2 67 0 3 1 2 3 5 25 60

Fluted shell, Lasmigona costata 1 1 2 4 50 50 0 0 0 0 0 0

TOTAL 53 71 124 899 6.8 13.8 9 118 127 242 7.7 34.4

* no live A. marginata were found ** only one live L. siliquoidea was found

Table 4. Estimated age structure of A. ligamentina Table 5. Estimated age structure of L. complanata Size (mm) Number Age estimate (years) Size (mm) Number Age estimate (years) 80‐89 3 4 56‐91 8 3 to 6 90‐99 12 5 to 6 92‐114 16 5 to 8

100‐109 37 6 115‐126 20 5 to 9 110‐119 72 8 127‐144 13 8 to 9 120‐129 70 9 to 10 145‐159 2 10 130‐139 14 >10

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

A total of 1554 mussels of seven species were translocated approximately 1 mile upstream of the former Plainwell impoundment. The mucket, Actinonaias ligamentina, was the most common, making up 87% of the population. The white heelsplitter, Lasmigona complanata, was the next most common species, making up 10% of the population.

The demographics of the bed below the former Plainwell impoundment indicate the population had been reproducing. Since juvenile mussels are difficult to find (Mulcrone, 2004) mussels under 3 years were used to indicate recent reproduction. Recruitment within two (L. complanata) and four (A. ligamentina) years was indicated for the two most common species.

The entire mussel bed below the former dam may not have been removed, but catch per unit effort steadily decreased over each visit. Live mussels retrieved on the last three visits were fairly consistent, ranging from 89 to 108.

Translocation likely reduced the mortality for a large amount of the mussel bed below the dam. The numbers of fresh and recent dead mussels made up 13.8% and 34.4% of the mussels taken from the area on the first and last collection days, respectively. The total amount of mortality recorded was underestimated, since fresh dead mussels were observed, but not thoroughly counted on the second and third visits. The amount of recent dead shells that had no tissue but an iridescent nacre also indicated recent mortality. After tissue decomposition, the length of time of death is difficult to distinguish since shell condition is affected by water chemistry (Strayer and Malcom, 2007). However, the large numbers (117) of recent dead shells on the last day of collection seem to indicate many individuals had died within this area. Tissues had likely decomposed in the warmer waters in previous weeks.

While death rates of mussels in the wild have not been thoroughly evaluated in the literature, it is rare to find many dead mussels with tissue still present (R. Mulcrone, personal observation). Mussels were likely dying due to extended periods of anoxia. Adult mussels can survive when dissolved oxygen levels are as low as 1 mg/L, but this concentration level is generally lethal after two weeks. Low oxygen levels are lethal to juvenile mussels for shorter periods of time (Strayer, 2008). Visits to the area below the former Plainwell dam were made over a 12 week period in the warmest months of the year. The progression and prolonged anoxic conditions were likely the cause of much of the fresh and recent dead mortalities observed for adults. The anterior side of the shells, which usually are found within the substrate, had black coloration and the water was fairly stagnant.

Anoxic conditions were mostly lethal to A. ligamentina, which is usually found in large rivers with gravel and sand beds (Parmalee, 1967; van der Schalie, 1938; Watters et al, 2009). Lasmigona complanata has been recorded to tolerate conditions in sluggish water with finer substrates (van der Schalie, 1938; Strayer, 1981; Watters et al., 2009). One Alasmidonta marginata, a state listed Special Concern species, was found dead with tissue present.

Mussels will move in response to lowered water levels and exposed, but their movement is random (Samad and Stanley, 1986). While mussels were seen moving in the area below the former Plainwell dam (R. Mulcrone, personal observation), they would not have been able to maneuver to free flowing water (Figures 14 and 15).

Previous studies (Cope and Waller, 1995 and Newton et al. 2001) have recorded mortalities associated with relocating mussels. Because the mussels were being relocated to an area within the same watershed and within a short time of collection, the amount of mortality should be reduced.

Habitat where the mussels were translocated was gravel with sand. ARCADIS and the MDNRE regarded this area to be a more stable part of the post‐TCRA river bed. Because the translocation was within the same watershed and was approximately 1 mile upstream, host fish populations are likely similar to the downstream impoundment area and would be suitable for recruitment. The occurrence of 2 year old A. ligamentina in the translocation area supported that this area is suitable for mussel recruitment.

The translocation area will be revisited next summer and marked mussels will be counted and evaluated for mortality. Although recovery of mussels with marked shells is generally lower than mussels with metal pit tags (Kurth, et al., 2007) the area is fairly shallow and accessible, likely making recapture easier. Previous studies in larger rivers have found mussel migration from translocated areas were fairly low (5%) (Waller et al, 1993). GPS readings should help a team retrieve the translocated population.

Follow‐up visits up to five years post‐translocation have been suggested to evaluate if the translocation is successful (Cope and Waller, 1995). Although recruitment has already been noted in this area, the stability of the habitat post‐TCRA should also be monitored.

LITERATURE CITED

Cope, W.G. and D. L. Waller, 1995. Evaluation of freshwater mussel relocation as a conservation and management strategy. Regulated rivers: Research and Management 11: 147‐155.

Kurth, J., C. Loftin, J. Zydlewski, and J. Rhymer, 2007. PIT tags increase effectiveness of freshwater mussel recaptures. J. N. Am. Benthol. Soc. 26: 253‐260.

Mulcrone, R.S. and C. Mehne, 2001. Freshwater mussels of the Kalamazoo River, Michigan, from Battle Creek to Saugatuck. October 1 Report to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, East Lansing. 15 pp.

Mulcrone, R.S., 2004. Incorporating habitat characteristics and fish hosts to predict freshwater mussel (Bivalvia: Unionidae) distributions in the Lake Erie drainage, Southeastern Michigan. PhD Dissertation, University of Michigan.

Newton, T.J. , E.M. Monroe, R. Kenyon, S. Gutreuter, K.I. Welke, and P.A. Theil, 2001. Evaluation of relocation of unionid mussels into artificial ponds. J. N. Am. Benthol. Soc. 20: 468‐485.

Parmalee, P.W., 1967. The fresh‐water mussels of Illinois. Illinois State Museum, Popular Science Series 8. 108 pp.

Samad, F. and J. G. Stanley, 1986. Loss of freshwater shellfish after water drawdown in Lake Sebasticook, Maine. J. Freshwater Ecol. 3: 519‐523.

Strayer, D.L., 1981. Notes on the microhabitats of unionid mussels in some Michigan streams. Am. Midl. Nat. 106: 411‐415.

Strayer, D.L., 2008. Freshwater mussel ecology: a multifactor approach to distribution and abundance. University of California Press, Berkeley. 204 pp.

Strayer, D.L., and H.M. Malcom, 2007. Shell decay rates of native and alien freshwater bivalves and implications for habitat engineering. Freshwater Biology 52: 1611‐1617.

van der Schalie, H., 1938. The naiad fauna of the Huron River, in southeastern Michigan. Misc. Publ. Mus. Zool. Univ. Mich., 40: 1‐83.

Waller, D.L., J.J. Rach, W.G. Cope, and J.A. Luoma, 1993. A sampling method for conducting relocation studies with freshwater mussels. J. Freshwater Ecol. 8: 397‐399.

Watters, G.T., M.A. Hoggarth and D.H. Stansberry, 2009. The freshwater mussels of Ohio. The Ohio State University Press. 421 pp.

Figure 2. Plainwell impoundment prior to TCRA work

Figure 3. Former Plainwell impoundment (June 18, 2009)

Figure 4. MDEQ and Mehne and Associates removing mussels from the downstream area of the former Plainwell impoundment (June 18)

Figure 5. Mussels prior to transport upstream (June 18)

Figure 6. MDNR and Mehne and Associates placing mussels in upstream translocation area (June 18)

Figure 7. Upstream translocation area (July 16)

Figure 8. Younger Actinonaias ligamentina, showing recruitment in translocation area (July 16)

Figures 9 (left) and 10 (right). Fresh dead mussels showing tissue remaining within the shell (Sept. 11)

Figure 11 (left). Fresh and recent dead mussels collected (June 18)

Figure 12 (right). Fresh dead mussels showing tissue still in shell (June 18)

Figure 13. View looking upstream at former Plainwell dam structure (September 11)

Figure 14. Arrows pointing to mussel trail, showing movement

Figure 15. Area (circle) where mussel was moving, belowformer Plainwell dam

(September 11)

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